TheTOMS RIVER Times Vol. 20 - No. 33
In This Week’s Edition
MICROMEDIA PUBLICATIONS
JERSEYSHOREONLINE.COM
December 21, 2024
Local Star Kicked Up To Front Line Of Rockettes
Downtown Toms River Transformed Into A Winter Wonderland
BREAKING NEWS @
jerseyshoreonline.com
Government Page 8
Community News Pages 9-15
Dr. Izzy’s Sound News Page 16
Inside The Law Page 19
Photos by Bob Vosseller Above: Members of the Donovan Catholic Chorus group pose for a photo prior to their performance at this year’s Toms River Christmas Tree Lighting. Right: Toms River Township’s Christmas Tree set in front of Town Hall shines bright following its recent official lighting that kicked off the holiday season in the community By Bob Vosseller TOMS RIVER – It’s the most wonderful time of the year - as the song goes - and the Downtown Toms River Business Improvement District made sure the holiday season kicked off in a special way. This year an entire Winter Wonderland weekend was enjoyed
around Washington Street and it began with the traditional Christmas Tree lighting that featured music, food, lights, the tree lighting itself and of course a visit by Santa and Mrs. Claus. The night of the tree lighting brought out a large crowd and while it might have been a bit chilly outside, the winds stayed
UNIDENTIFIED DRONES DRAW CONCERN ACROSS TRI-STATE AREA
By Bob Vosseller JERSEY SHORE – Amid many reports of carsized drones flying at night across areas of New Jersey, Pennsylvania and New York and lukewarm responses from federal and state authorities, people are still asking who put them in the air and why? Speculation by the public has ranged from the drones being a new military technology being tested by the government for surveillance purposes to others feeling the devices are being operated by a
foreign power for more sinister purposes. Mayors from throughout the state were called to the New Jersey Regional Operations & Intelligence Center recently. They were told by state authorities that there was nothing to worry about. However, they didn’t know what they were. This didn’t answer everyone’s questions. “How can you say there’s no need for concern when you don’t even know where they come from (Drones- See Page 5)
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away. Among the many families who came out were the Decesares who came dressed for the occasion with winter coats and Santa caps and other holiday attire. “I come out for this whenever I can,” township resident Vicky Decesare said. Her sister Gina Crisitello, who (Wonderland - See Page 4)
Photo courtesy Toms River Schools You can ask Athena Petrizzo how much practicing she did to get to Radio City. By Alyssa Riccardi TOMS RIVER – All her life, Toms River resident Athena Petrizzo dreamed of becoming a professional dancer. Now she’s taken on the title of not just any dancer, but the dancer: a Radio City Rockette. Petrizzo graduated from Joseph A. Citta Elementary School, then Intermediate North and, finally, High School North in (Rockettes - See Page 5)
This Month In History: Election Questions Through The Years By J. Mark Mutter With all of the recent discussion about citizens’ petitions to repeal ordinances and recall elected officials from office, here’s a look back on petitions and referendums in our town from not so long ago.
The Historical Background With the opening of the Garden State Parkway in 1954, the population of our town exploded. The federal Census recorded the population in 1950 as 7,700. In 1960, it had more than doubled to (History - See Page 6)
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